


Episode 01 Salvage

by Kalta79



Series: AU Angel season 4 [1]
Category: Angel: the Series
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canon-Typical Violence, F/M, What-If
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-05
Updated: 2017-04-05
Packaged: 2018-10-15 05:05:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,679
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10550548
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kalta79/pseuds/Kalta79
Summary: First 'episode' of an alternate season 4 of Angel. It's basically the same as the actual premiere episode, I just made some key changes to set up the rest of the AU season.





	

GALWAY, IRELAND 1740

“You’re worthless, you hear me? You’re nothing, and never will be!” The shouted words were punctuated with blows, and the young boy cowed on the floor.

“I’m sorry, Father!” Liam cried out. “I didn’t mean to leave the gate open, honest!”

“No one said you could speak, boy!” He takes off his belt. “I’ll teach you manners!”

The young Liam sees Fred, Gunn, and Cordelia standing in the corner.

“Was Angel really this much of a coward?” Cordelia asks. “To think I used to think he was cool…the shame of it all. I mean look at how pathetic he is.” She laughs.

“Tell me about it. I took orders from the guy. What was I thinking?” Gunn shook his head, smiling.

“He’s just like the cows back in Pylea. But they had better hair.” Fred added. “Is there any tacos? I always liked having snacks while watching cheap entertainment.”

“Help me!” Liam cried out.

“They’re not your friends anymore.” Wesley appeared and crouched beside the boy. “They’ve abandoned you because you’re not who they wanted you to be. Something else you and I have in common. But…” Wesley pauses to look up and so does Liam. He was shocked to see that his father had been replaced with Connor, complete with a taser gun instead of a belt, and wearing an expression of complete hatred. “My son would never betray me.” Wesley finished.

A bluish watery glow suffuses the room and Liam's skin has turned pasty white and cracks have appeared on his cheeks, chin and forehead.

"Freeze the moment, dad. It'll last forever." Connor says. The bluish light makes him look different. Wrong somehow, yet at the same time so powerful.

Angel's eyes snap open. He is lying in his watery prison.

* * * * *

Gunn enters the office at the Hyperion, where Fred is doing something on the computer. She looks up and smiles when she sees him.

“What’s Connor doing now?” Gunn asks.

“Playing video games. I really think we should get him some books though. Did you find out anything?” Fred wants to know.

"Yeah. Got an address for some vampirella that might have seen something. We gonna tell him?" He hands a slip of a paper with his info on it.

"No, I don't wanna get his hopes up again." Fred gets on the laptop and starts searching.

"Any word on Lorne?"

"Mr. Big-hit-in-Vegas is too busy dankeschaning the tourists to care about us."

"Did you try him again?"

"Like sixty times. He's lost the mission, bro."

"Well, we're about to lose this whole place and you know you can't say bro. Alright. You need to start hustling up some paying clients."

Fred looks up from the laptop, clearly not happy. “Charles, just because we’re in a relationship, it doesn’t give you the right to boss me around. I’m a big girl. I’m also the boss, and you’re the one with the contacts. Why don’t we work together to find paying clients?”

A noise in the office doorway announces a visitor.

“Hey, um, you people are obviously new. I’m looking for Angel.” Oz says.

* * * * *

“What do you think, Angel? Red or the blue?” Cordelia shows him the two dresses. It’s daylight and they’re in a boutique on Rodeo Drive.

“Um…this isn’t right.” Angel is clearly confused.

“I know, but I like this version better. It’s weird, you know. I can't remember what it was like, not knowing you, not being close to you. I'm in love with you, Angel. Deep down I think I have been for a long time. I needed you to know that.” Cordelia waves the dresses in front of his face again. “So come on, tell me which is better dress. It’s our first anniversary dinner tonight, not to mention your second anniversary of being human again. I wanna look my best for you.”  
“I know just how you’d look best.” He leans in to kiss the side of her neck, then vamps out and sinks his teeth in. Cordelia gasps as Angel gulps down her blood.  
Angel pulls back, shocked at himself. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry!"  
Cordelia lets out a scream and drops the dresses, as Angel returns to feeding, only to wake up again wide-eyed and screaming in his watery grave.

* * * * *  
“So you knew Buffy? What was she like?” Fred asked.

“Slayer.” Oz shrugged.

Just then Connor walks in. “Hey, I’m outta batteries for my Game Gear, where are the spa…” He notices Oz. “Who are you?”

“This is Oz, an old friend of Angel’s.” Fred says.

Connor grabs Oz and shoves him against the wall before Fred or Gunn can stop him. “What are you?”

“Connor, let him go!” Fred demands, while Gunn pushes Connor away from Oz.

“Now what the hell was that?” Gunn asks.

“He’s not human.” was Connor’s response.

“Connor, honey, not everyone who knows Angel is demonic. We’ve been through this.” Fred gently says.

“He’s right though.” Oz states.

* * * * *

Lilah and Wesley are both naked in his bed.

"That didn't suck. Well, maybe just a little bit." Lilah smiles.

"Perhaps that is something we can expand on next time." Wesley replies.

"What makes you think there will be a next time?" Lilah looks at him.

"Because you can't resist me."

Lilah pulls Wesley’s head back by his hair and licks the side of his face. "I think you have that backwards." Lilah rolls off him and gets out of bed.

"Where are you going?"

"Snack break's over. Time I get back to work."

"And Wolfram and Hart does its best work after dark."

Lilah gets dressed. "Sun's bad for your complexion. Ask Angel. Oh, right. You can't, because of the whole 'wanting to smother you with a pillow' thing."

"Wouldn't think kidnapping his son would have such a negative effect on our friendship."

"You thought you were doing the right thing. I hear that can be confusing. Have you tried talking to him? Maybe when he gets back you can..."

Wesley laughs.

"What?"

"I have no idea where Angel is, Lilah, or what happened to him. And I really couldn't care."

"Wow. That was cold. I think we're finally making progress.” Lilah sashays over to the edge of the bed and sits down. “Come on. Doesn't it bother you just a little bit? The not knowing?"

"That part of my life is dead. Doesn't concern me now."

Lilah looks at him intently for a moment. "No, it doesn't."

Lilah leans down for a quick kiss goodbye, but Wesley grabs a hold of her hair and pulls her back for a deeper kiss. After a moment Lilah pulls back and Wesley watches her walk out of the room. As soon as she is gone, he pulls on his pants then goes open his closet door. There is a series of metal bars to form a cage.

"It's time." Wesley announces to a shackled and gagged Justine. "Let's go for a boat ride."

* * * * *

Wesley steers a small ship across the dark ocean.

"So, what's it gonna be tonight, captain? Bicycle, old tire, or maybe we'll get real lucky and catch us nice shopping cart. Here's a wacky thought, why don't you swim down there yourself?" Justine’s quite cranky.

Wesley ignores her comments and flips a switch and looks down at a readout. "No contact. We'll try the next grid." Wesley walks over to the map laid out on the table and makes some markings.

"You really think finding Angel is going to change anything?"

"Everything changes eventually."

"Well, I guess anything is better than sitting around in my cage all day with nothing to do but to fill my bucket."

"Perhaps you should have considered that before slitting my throat." Wesley walks back to the steering wheel.

"The great Wesley Wyndham-Price, the shining beacon of all that's good and pure. But wait, no! That's before he started banging the enemy and keeping slave-girl in his closet." 

"You were always a slave, Justine. You just couldn't see the chains."

"Thanks, Swami, I'll meditate on that."

"You think she would be disappointed?"

"Who?"

"Your sister.” Justine turns away so he can’t see her pain, and Wesley continues. “That's where it all began, isn't it? Sister murdered by a vampire, consumed by a need of revenge..."

Justine spins to face him "For justice!"

"Is that what you call it? How did turning a son against his father help get justice for your sister?. "

"Angel got what he deserved." Justine’s voice was flat.

"In the end, we all get what we deserve, Justine. The question is, what do you deserve for what you’ve done?"

Justine doesn’t answer.

"Not much of a plan though, was it, really? Easy to figure out which door to kick in when Angel went missing. And not much harder to persuade you to betray everything Holtz had given his life for. Not that it was worth very much. Well, you should know. You're the one that ended it."

Justine grabs the wrench that was holding down the maps and lifts it to hit the back of Wesley' head.

Wesley doesn’t even turn to look at Justine. "I'll take away your bucket."

Justine tosses the wrench back on the table and goes off to sulk in her corner.

* * * * *  
“So you’re a werewolf? Gunn asks Oz.

“For the past few years.” Oz replies.

“What do you do when there’s a full moon?” Fred is curious.

“It doesn’t affect me anymore. I’ve learned to control it. It’s actually why I’m…” Oz starts to say before being interrupted.

“So you can attack anyone whenever you feel like it?” Connor snidely remarks.

“Connor, keep up the attitude and you’ll be washing every window in this hotel.” Gunn tells him. "How many times we talked to you about not being human having nothing to do with being good or bad? It's that big, thick mellon!" Gunn taps the side of Connor's head, smiling. "Your dad's got one just like it. "  
"I'm not like him."  
"You're not as strong yet, but..."  
"Like I care what you think?" Connor says before running up to his room.  
"After everything he's gone through, you need to be a little more patient, Charles. He's just a boy." Fred tells Gunn.

"Are you sure about that? Offspring of two vampires. Last time I checked that's not supposed to happen. And jumping off a six-story without busting your coconut kind of sways me to the side of not just a boy. I mean, come on, Fred. His nickname back in Qor Toth was The Destroyer. And unless you put Conan in front of that, I'm guessing it's not a good sign."

"He's Angel's son. That's all that matters." Fred quietly replies.

“How did Angel have a son?” Oz asks. “I must have missed something, because this is all making a kind of sense that’s not.”

“How long can you stick around?” Gunn blankly responds.

* * * * *

Connor is crouched on the edge of a roof, overlooking the city.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" Angel admires the view.

"The way it should be." Connor turns to face Angel.

"What, no hug?"

"Just get it over with."

"What's the rush? I'm not going anywhere."

"No, you're not."

Angel turns to see some vamps come towards him and starts to laugh. Connor laughs with him.

"What are you laughing at?" One of the vamps demands to know.

"I'll tell you later." Angel replies jocularly.

The vamps attack and Angel swings into action, as does Connor. Their eyes meet during a short lull before they turn back to the business of fighting the vamps. On of them comes up on Angel's blind side with a stake and Connor calls out a warning. Angel bats the stake aside and they quickly finish off the vamps, Connor tossing the last one over the side of the building. Angel, smiling walks up to Connor and puts his hands on his son's shoulders.

"Thanks." Angel grabs a hold of Connor's head and snaps his neck with a quick twist - only to wake up screaming and straining against his bonds back in his coffin.

* * * * *

Gunn and Oz are in the lobby sitting on the circular couch talking while Fred attempts to call Lorne again.

 

Lorne is wearing a furry blue coat, and is getting his face powdered in his Vegas dressing room. "Now, go easy on me. Remember they're paying to see the green."

A security guy comes walking in and hands Lorne a cell phone. "Two minutes."

"Oh, thanks, sweetie.” Lorne puts the phone to his ear and mouth. “Bonsoir."

"Lorne? Lorne! Hey, it's Fred. I've been trying to get a hold of you."

"Oh, I'm sorry, hon, I've been booked out the wha and past the zoo. If I get any hotter they'll have to stamp me out."

"Lorne, I know you're busy, but we really need your help. We had a lead but it, uh, kind of died. Did you talk to your connections? Have they heard anything about Angel or Cordelia?"

"No, not a peep. But if I miracle ear anything I'll send up a smoke signal.” Lorne says as the security guy gestures to his watch. “Ah, that's my cue. Take care of yourself and ah, and make sure Fluffy is getting enough love."

"Lorne!" Fred hangs up the phone with a sigh.

"Did he have anything?" Gunn asks as he and Oz enter the office.

"No. And who's Fluffy? Are you Fluffy?" Fred wonders.

"He called me Fluffy?" Gunn is not pleased.

"He said make sure... Wait. You don't - think he was referring to anything of mine that's fluffy, do you? Because that would just be inappropriate." Fred is not comfortable.

“Well we can worry about Lorne later. After I filled Oz here in on Connor, he said the reason he came was there’s a werewolf cult, killing people and turning others. We’re gonna need Connor’s help to take care of it.”

* * * * *  
Linwood, Lilah, and Gavin are walking through one of Wolfram and Hart’s many corridors, on the way to the elevator.

"You found Angel?" Lilah asks, quite surprised.

"Young Gavin's had a breakthrough with the psychics." Linwood replies.

"Brain boys finally earning their keep. So, where is he?"

"Well, I haven't pinpointed his exact location yet, but I have ascertained that he's safe and immobilized." Gavin says.

"Really. Maybe you can lead them in a rousing chant and get them to muster up a little more vague." Lilah was not impressed.

"He's contained and out of play. Which suit our purposes just fine." Linwood states.

"If our purpose is to get caught with our prophecies down. Angel is supposed to be a major player in the apocalypse. The little pet project the Senior partners have been working on since, oh, the beginning of time?” Lilah switches her focus from Linwood to Gavin. “Three months and all you've been able to ferret out is…nothing!"

Linwood puts his hand on Gavin’s shoulder. "Lilah, Gavin's work with the psychics has uncovered some invaluable intel in a variety of unexpected areas. Care to enlighten us?"

"What I do in my personal time is none of Gavin's business." Lilah was not at all happy that Gavin had spied on her.

"But everything is my business." Linwood is not happy either.

"I'm not sleeping with him for information, if that’s what you mean.” Lilah affects humorous shock that they think she would stoop that low. She would of course, but in this case she hasn’t.

"Please don't tell me it's the chiseled jaw. If you have his confidence we can play it to our advantage." Linwood presses her.

"He doesn't know anything. There's nothing to take advantage of." Lilah doesn’t look Linwood in the eye for more than moment.

"Except you. Staff meeting in an hour. Don't be late. Gavin." Linwood and Gavin enter the elevator, leaving Lilah to stand there watching them, a slightly worried and thoughtful expression on her face. 

* * * * *

The radar on Wesley's boat beeps. "Solid contact. Definitely metallic."

"Probably more junk. Could be anything down there." Justine states.

"Better have a look then." Wesley tosses a diving mask at Justine, who catches it.

The beam of Justine's flashlight plays across the lid of Angel's coffin, illuminating his pale and cracked face, and making him blink. Wesley and Justine watch as the ship's hoist slowly hauls the coffin aboard. Wesley lights a blowtorch and burns through the welds securing the sidebars.

"Justine. Come on." Wesley slides the bars out and he and Justine lift the lid off the coffin. Wesley cuts the steel cords holding Angel immobile.

"Congratulations. You're the big hero. Maybe your friends will throw you a party. I wonder what the cake's gonna look..."

Suddenly Angel's hand shoots up and grabs Wesley by the throat. Angel's eyes snap open. His brow draws together in a slight frown as his eyes focus on Wesley, who takes a hold of Angel's hand, and lays it back down on his chest. He then lays Angel down on the table in the main cabin and pulls out some glass jars filled with dark liquid.

"Blood?" Justine asks.

"Animal." Wesley lifts Angel's head and tries to get him to drink some of the blood.

"What's the hurry? It's not like he's going anywhere."

"A vampire can exist indefinitely without feeding, but the damage to the higher brain functions from prolonged starvation can be catastrophic."

Angel starts to cough.

"Slowly." Wesley says.

"All the energy you've wasted to save that thing. For what? A happy ending? Everything like it was? He hates you. They all do. And they're never going to take you back."

* * * * *  
“So how exactly do we stop this cult? I mean they are humans for most of each month.” Gunn wants a battle strategy. “It’s not like…”

“Yeah. I was hoping Angel would know something.” Oz says. “I’ve killed another werewolf before but, special circumstances.”

“We’ll do what research we can to find a not messy way to take care of it.” Fred promises. “We’ll need Connor’s help though if it turns out to not have a clean solution.”

“He smells wrong.” Oz reveals.

“Wrong? What do you mean?” Gunn asks.

“Werewolf thing. I can smell people if they’re giving off emotions strongly. That kid needs help. He’s afraid of something.”

“I’m glad I’m not the only one who thinks he needs help.” Gunn says.

“He’s probably just afraid of being left alone and stuck back in Qor Toth. I was in a hell dimension myself. They’re not fun.” Fred explains, defending Connor.

The phone rings, and Gunn picks it up. "Angel Investigations."

* * * * *

Angel is lying on the table in the ship's cabin a rolled up blanket under his head another covering his body. "Why is it like this?"

"Well, that's the age-old, bubby. I'll fire you off a postcard if I'll noodle the answer." Lorne replies.

"Life should be beautiful and bright. But, no matter how hard I try, everything I touch - turns to ashes."

"Well, there goes that encouraging hug I was planning. Snap to, buckaroo. The only one turning to ashes is that patricidal pup of yours. Hell, I'd take him out myself if I wasn't just a crappy hallucination."

Wesley comes down the stairs. "How is he?"

"How do you think?" Lorne answers.

"He won't shut up." Justine is handcuffed to the wall.

"I have to stop him." Angel exclaims.

"You wanna bitch-slap sour-puss over there for practice? I'm your cheering section." Lorne offers.

Wesley walks up to the table. "Angel?"  
"I have to do it." Angel continues.

Angel tires to get up and Wesley puts a hand on his shoulder to stop him. "Shh. You need to rest now."

"Hush, little baby, don't say a word. Mamma's gonna buy you a mockingbird. And if that mockingbird don't sing..." Lorne sings to Angel.

Angel looks up and sees Connor standing over him. "I should have killed you."

Wesley looks down at Angel as Justine breaks out laughing.

"And me without my camera." Justine comments.

"He's been down there too long. Pig's blood isn't enough. He needs more substantial nourishment." Wesley states.

"Like what?" Justine can’t help but being curious.

Justine stares wide-eyed at the knife Wesley pulls out. "Oh, screw you. I'm not feeding that thing."

"Your blood's too thin." Wesley flatly replies. He slices across the inner side of his left forearm then moves to the table and holds the cut down over Angel's lips. Angel's hands come up and he holds Wesley' arm in place as he drinks, but he doesn't morph into his vamp face.

* * * * *

Lilah is alone in the meeting room. She stands behind Linwood's chair and caresses the headrest. Soon. Soon I’ll have both Wesley and Wolfram and Hart. 

The doors open and Lilah moves down to a place about halfway down the table as people move to take their seats.

"Alright, we've got a lot of ground to cover, so let's get right to it. Let's talk about Lilah. Everybody had a chance to review her file?” Linwood gets nodding confirmations from the other employees. “Good. Recommendations?"

Lilah raises her hand. "If I could just have a few minutes to explain..."

"I think your record speaks for itself." Gavin is quite smug.

"Volumes. Your failures at Wolfram and Hart outstrip your successes by an uncomfortable margin. Perhaps you would fair better at a less central office." Linwood’s tone is very condescending.

"One of the third world dimensions maybe." Gavin adds.

"I'm sorry." Lilah says.

"What was that?" Linwood pounces on her confession of seeming weakness. 

"I said, I'm sorry. I've made mistakes, but fear was never one of them." Lilah replies.

"Is there something you would like to share?" Linwood is slightly confused at Lilah’s turn towards confrontational behavior, as is Gavin.

"Why haven't we contained the vampire offspring for study?" Lilah demands to know.

"We're assessing that situation." Linwood half-heartedly replies.

"The same way you're assessing Angel? Then why aren't we trying to pinpoint Angel's location?" Lilah inquires.

"Lilah, this is my corner of the sky. I decide when the sun rises and when it sets. Lack of long-term vision has always been one of your shortcomings." Linwood does not like being challenged.

Lilah stands up, holding a Palm-pilot and stylus. "And lack of courage has always been one of yours. You're afraid of Angel and his son. That's the reason for your daring strategy of wait and see, isn't it? You're afraid. And fear breeds weakness."

"Oh. I'm hurt. Is that really what you think of me?" Linwood clearly doesn’t care what Lilah thinks.

"Yes. And Mr. Suvarta agrees with me."

"You spoke to a Senior Partner?" For the first time, Linwood shows fear as he leans forward in his chair.

"He was really very helpful. He had some great hints on office furniture." Lilah’s tone is very relaxed now.

"This is outrageous! Are you actually telling me that you went over my head?" Linwood is livid.

Lilah touches her stylus to the palm-pilot in her hand. We hear an electronic beep, then a blade whips out of the backrest on Linwood's chair slicing quickly and neatly through his neck. "Just under it, actually."

Linwood's head, staring eyes fixed, slowly tumbles forward and rolls down the table.

"Mr. Suvarta didn't think Linwood's sky was sunny enough. You're all reporting to me now.” Lilah sits down. “Get out."

Everyone quickly and quietly gets up and files out the room.

"Gavin." Lilah says his name with a certain ring to it.

Gavin freezes. Lilah gives him a slight smile, then indicates the decapitated head with her stylus.

"Please, remove that." Lilah is enjoying herself.

Gavin manages a smile and follows his orders.

When she’s alone, she looks at Linwood’s folder and notices it’s about Angel Investigations. She flips through the documents.

“Is there anything new her…well…this is quite interesting.” She takes a paper out and stares at it for a moment. “This will liven things up.”

Lilah takes out her cell phone and presses a button. “Get me the head of Contracts. No, I don’t mean his actual head. Michael, how are you? Oh I’m hurt. You don’t think sometimes I just wanna chat with an old friend? Well now that you mention it, there is something you can do for me…”

* * * * *

Connor is stretched out on the bed in his room sulking. There is a knock on the door. "What?"

Fred is standing in the open doorway, holding a tray with a sandwich and glass of milk. "Brought you a snack."

"I'm not hungry."

"You're always hungry." Fred laughs.

Fred walks into the room and Connor sits up.

"What is it?"

"Bologna."

"No tomatoes?"

"No tomatoes."

Connor sits up and reaches for the tray, but Fred pulls it back.

"What do you say?"

"Thank you."

"You’re welcome."

Connor tears into the sandwich. Fred sets the tray down on the nightstand then strokes Connor's hair.

"Is he still mad?"

"What do you think?"

"Sorry."

"I can't imagine what you've been through, Connor, being taken away by Holtz, raised in that place. It must have been horrible. I know you're still hurting but I promise, it's not nearly as much as you're gonna hurt for what you did to your father."

Connor stops chewing and looks puzzledly up at Fred, who pushes a tazer against his chest and fires. Connor arcs back in pain.

 

Connor sits in the office, tied to a chair with Fred standing over him, tazer in hand.

"You think that's what Angel felt? When you did it to him? Did he scream like you?" Fred is really emotional.

"Why are you doing this?" Connor asks.

"Nah-ah. Don't even try it." Gunn says.

"We got a call form an old friend tonight." Fred announces.

"Been playing a little Ahab. He's out there right now puttering around on his boat." Gunn continues.

"With Angel." Fred finishes.

Connor stays quiet.

"That's right, Sparky, Daddy's coming home. And I'm guessing there's going to be a spanking." Gunn states.

"He's been down there, all alone, for three months, and you knew!" Fred can barely contain herself.

"Is that what you did to Cordy? Stuff her in a box some place?" Gunn asks.

"How could you do that to us? We took you into our home. We cared for you, and all this time... How could you do that?!"

When Connor doesn’t answer, only looks at her, Fred buries the tazer against Connor's chest. Connor writhes in pain, screaming.

"How could you do that?!" Fred exclaims.

Gunn pulls her back: "Fred!" Fred buries her head against Gunn's shoulder and starts to cry.

* * * * *

Wesley deposits Angel in the passenger seat of his car then looks down at Angel's pale and cracked face. Angel's eyes drift open and their eyes meet.

"He'll turn on you!" Justine says loud enough for Wesley to hear her.

Wesley closes the passenger door and walks around to get into the driver's seat.

"He won't be able to help it. That's what he is. Sooner or later he will turn on you and all your friends!" Justine continues her rant.

Wesley ignores the woman he handcuffed to railing at the beach, and gets into his car, buckles up and starts the engine.

"You're just gonna leave me here?" Justine realizes her statements are falling on deaf ears.

Wesley holds up the keys to the cuffs, looking at her, then tosses them at her feet. "You can continue to be a slave, Justine, or you can live your life. Your choice."

Wesley drives off, leaving Justine behind.

* * * * *

Fred is sitting in a chair in the outer office with Gunn rubbing her back. "I would have done anything for him. Now all I wanna do is hurt him."  
"Go ahead. Hurt me some more, Fred." Connor’s voice comes out from the inner office.

"Shut up!"

"You think I care? You get used to it."

Fred gets up and walks over to Connor. "You don't feel anything, do you? There's nothing inside."

"Why don't you open me up and find out."

"How could you do that to your father?"

"That thing is not my father."

"Yes, he is." Gunn quietly states.

"He got what he deserved." Connor responds.

"And how soon before we deserved it?" Fred wants to know.

Connor just looks at her.

They hear the lobby doors open and run out to see Wesley helping Angel down the steps into the lobby.

"I believe you're looking for this." Wesley says.

Angel raises his head and looks at them.

"Angel." Fred is heartened to see him.

Gunn and Fred hurry towards them and Gunn helps Wesley lead Angel to the settee.

"Oh, my God." Fred exclaims.

"Is he gonna be all right?" Gunn asks.

"In time, maybe." Wesley answers.

Angel drops onto the settee with a groan, his head rolling to the side against the headrest.

"He's out of it." Gunn states the obvious.

 

"Oh God." Fred repeats.

"It's okay." Gunn reassures her.

"Look at him."

"It's gonna be okay." Gunn is repeating himself now.

Angel slowly looks up at them. Wesley begins to back away from them towards the doors.

"What do we do? Wesley..." As Angel's eyes slide shut again, Fred turns, only to see that Wesley is already on the landing. "Where are you going?"

"I'm done here. He'll need more blood. I'm fresh out." Wesley leaves.

The door closes behind Wesley. Angel lets out a sight groan.

"It's okay. God, he's freezing." Fred says.

"I'll get some more blankets. Good thing we sent Oz to get some blood from the butcher shop when we got the call." Gunn turns to go, but stops as we hear the sound of a chair toppling coming from the office.

"Connor!" Fred exclaims.

Gunn and Fred run for the office. Connor is waiting for them and easily tosses Gunn to the side. Fred tries to tazer him, but he grabs it from her and uses it against her instead. She drops to the floor in a heap. Connor turns only to find Angel standing in the doorway.

"Sit down." Angel orders.

Connor backs up a little never taking his eyes off Angel. "You're too weak to take me."

"You really think that?"

Connor looks at Angel for another moment, then turns, picks up the chair, slams it down on the floor, and sits facing Angel. Gunn begins to stir and sit up. Angel lowers himself into a chair across from Connor with a slight sigh.

"So, how was your summer? Mine was fun. Saw some fish. Went mad with hunger. Hallucinated a whole bunch." Angel explains.

Gunn quietly helps Fred back to her feet.

Connor's eyes never leave Angel. "You deserved worse."

"Because I killed Holtz, except I didn't. I tried telling you that while you were busy offshore dumping me, but I didn't know the whole score. You’ll learn the whole truth when you’re ready."

"Even if, you still deserved it."

"What I deserve is open to debate. But understand there is a difference between wishing vengeance on someone, and taking it. So now, the question becomes: what do you deserve?"

Connor suddenly jumps up from his chair and runs for the door, but Angel intercepts him, tossing him against the wall.

"Daddy's not finished talking." Angel crouches down next to where Connor sits, scrunched up against the wall. "Wesley told me everything that's been going on. So, as far as I'm concerned, what you deserve rests on one answer: did you do something to Cordelia?"

"No." Connor looks surprised at the question.

"He's lying." Fred says.

Connor, looking at Angel: "No, I'm not."

"No way she just happened to disappear the same night." Gunn joins in.

Connor doesn’t take his eyes off Angel. "I'm telling the truth, okay?"

"I know. I can tell." Angel slowly straightens up and backs away a little. "You've done enough lying for me to know the difference. The truth has a better sound to it, less nasal, you know? Get up."

Connor stands up.

"What you did to me was unbelievable, Connor. But then I got stuck in a hell dimension by my girlfriend one time for a hundred years, so three months under the ocean actually gave me perspective. Kind of a M. C. Esher perspective, but I did get time to think. About us, about the world. Nothing in the world is the way it ought to be. It's harsh, and cruel. But that's why there's us. Champions. It doesn't matter where we come from, what we've done or suffered, or even if we make a difference. We live as though the world was what it should be, to show it what it can be. You're not a part of that yet. I hope you will be. And I think I have a good idea on how to help you with that. So come on. We’re going for a ride.”

* * * * *

“Why are we here?” Connor asks.

“There’s someone I think you should meet.” Angel replies.

They both see the figure enter the other room. She sits down and picks up the phone, and Angel picks up his.

“Hey Angel, long time no see. Wesley said you had an ocean vacation? Apparently you need a new travel agent. Cause you look like crap.” Faith says.

Angel laughs. “Yeah I guess I do. I brought someone with me this time.” He hands the phone to Connor, then walks to the door.

“You must the Quarter Off Boy I’ve been hearing so much about.” Faith states.

“Name’s Connor.”

“Yeah. So Angel said you wanted to talk?”

“I got nothing to talk about.”

“Suit yourself, cause I got all the time in the world not to listen.”

“Why are you in here?” Connor asks, unsure of what else to say to the pretty brunette.

“I killed a few people.”

“Why?”

“Long story.”

“I got all the time in the world not to listen.”

Connor and Faith smile at each other. Angel reaches the doorway and turns back to see them smiling. He smiles too. It was a start.


End file.
